Josh Stone jrstone@mtsu.edu

Undergraduate degree---MTSU Biology

Master's degree---MTSU Health and Human Performance, Recreation Administration

Josh is currently the Associate Director of Recreation Programs at MTSU. Since receiving his Master's degree and prior to this position, Josh worked at Southern Environmental Management, Inc. focusing on water quality work. He has also worked at San Juan College in New Mexico and University of North Carolina in Asheville, NC.

The position of MTSU's Associate Director of Recreation Programs is a full-time job which occasionally 'overflows' its boundaries into as much as 70 hours a week. There are four components to the Recreation Program:
Climbing Wall

Equipment Rental

Challenge Course

Trips during breaks--- which can be seen as a benefit or a 'perk' to the job
Managing equipment and scheduling activity groups for these components alone would be challenging; in addition, the Recreation Program

• Hosts retreats for other entities , such as MTSU's Student Government Association group training weekend

• In May 2010, the Recreation Center will host WMI/NOLS (Wilderness Management Institute, National Outdoor Leader School) Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training at MTSU

• American Camp Association (ACA) kayak training (for kayak instructors)

• ACA Swift Water Rescue training (for instructors)

• Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association instructor training (kayak roll clinic)

• Instructor training for Nashville (TN) Paddle Adventures

To provide on-site training for their staff and to expand the capacity of service, the Recreation Program is now using students as trip leaders. They undergo extensive training (like WFA---Wilderness First Aid) before they work with other students, staff, or faculty.

Point of Pride:

MTSU's Campus Recreation Program is currently the ONLY college chapter in the United States of Team River Runner, a program that teaches disabled U.S. veterans of the Afghan and Iraq wars to kayak. Each month, the group meets at MTSU to learn new kayaking techniques! Many of the veterans go from this basic course to specially-organized river trips. MTSU Campus Recreation helps the healing process in a very tangible way with new skills and interests for these veterans.

Dreams for the future:

• Trainings for other departments at MTSU, such as group facilitation, group management---our Challenge Course is ready and available, and programs can be 'customized' to fit requirements of the group

• Even MORE trips!

• Starting in August, 2009, the Recreation facility will hold its FIRST-EVER Freshman Leadership Orientation for a select group of 50 freshmen, one week before school starts. Groups of ten students will rotate through five physical experiences---hiking, climbing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and mountain biking---before coming back together for evening programs focusing on various university topics. The Freshman Leadership Orientation is a joint effort of the Recreation Center and Student Affairs. The Freshman Leadership experience will help build a cohort for student commitment to MTSU.

Advice to students interested in recreation administration/outdoor recreation/recreation therapy degrees through the Department of Health and Human Performance:

GET AS MUCH EXPERIENCE as you possibly can, either paid or unpaid.

You can be a Campus Recreation volunteer!

There are currently (2009) 27 students who work in the Campus Rec program on trainings, retreats, Ocoee River trips, etc.

And Josh's BEST advice for those who have some experience in an outdoor recreation pursuit and want their 'other, better half' to join them--- "Get someone else to instruct those you love!";

[Interview, Karen HargroveDec. 16, 2009]